When Love Is Real
by Saya Matsuki
Summary: 4 years after the war has ended, the Gaang gets invited to spend the summer in the Fire Nation with Zuko. But when a surprise announcement takes them all by surprise, Katara will stop at nothing to see that this event doesn't happen. In-progress, Zutara


When Love is Real...  
Prologue

* * *

When you love someone, you'll do anything to see them happy, right? But what if what you think makes them happy is completely tearing you apart from the inside out? Would you stop something from happening, no matter what the cost? But, what if those two things are one and the same? Would you still do it? Would you risk everything for that one person? If you thought that meant stopping something you know isn't right, but makes them happy? Then, what if you come so close to stopping that one thing from happening, only to find something totally unexpected along the way? Would you do it?

* * *

Katara stood with the rest of her friends outside of Iroh's reclaimed teashop, 'The Jasmine Dragon'. They all watched as Zuko and Mai were readied to board the fire-powered balloon that would take them from their current location in Ba Sing Se back to the Fire Nation capitol. There, Zuko would resume his duties as the Fire Lord. Everyone stepped forward to say their goodbyes. There were hugs, promises to see each other soon, and a punch or two from Toph. Katara was the last one to say her goodbyes. She hugged Mai and then walked over to Zuko.

She clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head so she was looking at the ground. "Zuko, I, I don't know if I can ever find a way to thank you for everything you've done. For me, and for everyone else." She looked up at his face. "I hope you know that I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I just-" She was cut off by a hug from Zuko.

"Katara, you don't need to thank me or apologize, ever," he began as she wrapped her arms around him in return. "I'm the one who should still be apologizing and thanking you. And if you ever need anything from me, just say the word and I'll be there in an instant. Any one of you. I'm sure I'll see you soon."

As they pulled away from the embrace, Katara placed a soft kiss on his cheek and smiled. "I'll hold you to that."

Zuko smiled in return. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

Everyone stood waving, watching until all traces of the balloon had vanished. They all began to walk back inside the teashop and Aang pulled Katara closer to him. He studied her expression and found a bit of sadness in her eyes. He figured she was just sad about their friends leaving. Aang kissed her in hopes of a way to make her feel better. She gave in to the kiss and tried to put her worries aside.

"I'm sure that we'll still find ways to have adventures together, just like always," Aang said gently. "Just don't worry about it, Katara."

Katara did her best to smile and squeezed the hand she clasped in hers. As they walked back into the teashop, she remembered back to the first time Zuko had ever said her name. It sounded different depending on who said it. She remembered the rasp in his voice as he pled for her forgiveness and smiled at how they made it past all of their problems to become friends.

_Katara..._

* * *

_4 years later... _

"Katara..." Someone whispered. "Katara...I-"

'No,' Katara thought as the voice began to fade. That husky voice was trying to tell her something important. She knew it. She-

"KATARA!"

Katara's eyes snapped open as a completely different voice called to her. Well, more like yelled then called. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and looked around to find her blind Earthbender friend, Toph, standing by her bed.

"Toph?" Katara questioned as she looked around. It took her a minute to remember where she was as she looked around the large room emblazoned with green and gold. She waited for a minute until her memories found their way back into her head.

She remembered now. The week previous, Iroh invited them all for a visit to Ba Sing Se. They hadn't seen the old man in a few months and liked to see each other as often as possible. The Earth King, now back on his throne and hearing of their visiting, insisted upon them staying in the palace. Katara looked to her friend, not used to being woken up by her yelling anymore.

After the war was over and Zuko had returned to the Fire Nation with Mai, their group was never together as often as anyone liked. Toph had stayed in the Earth Kingdom, wandering around at first before returning to Gaoling to confront her parents. She had then returned to Ba Sing Se and started her own Earthbending academy in the city. At 17, she was currently the youngest Earthbending teacher in the world.

Zuko generally stayed in the Fire Nation and was always bogged down with work. Creating an era of peace was a never-ending task. And, as Mai never went anywhere without Zuko, she remained in the Fire Nation with him. The last time anyone had seen them had been long over two years before this at Sokka and Suki's wedding. Now, Sokka and Suki were both 20, happily married, and were now trying to have a baby. They went back in forth between the South Pole and Kyoshi Island. And because of this, both of them saw plenty of Ty Lee as well. She was still a Kyoshi Warrior and now Suki's second-in-command, holding down the fort whenever Suki wasn't there.

And for when Sokka wasn't at the South Pole, Katara was. After about a year to a year and a half, she and Aang had drifted apart and she had broken things off. Now they were each left with an occasionally awkward 'best friend' relationship. Aang was usually off at one of the air temples or at a meeting of some kind somewhere in the world. So now Katara was the Waterbending Master of the South Pole's rebuilt city. No too long after Pakku had married her grandmother, he had retired as a Waterbending teacher and she had taken over. Sokka and Katara's father was still the chief of the South Pole with Bato at his side.

Katara thought about all of this as she was staring blankly at her friend. Toph snapped her fingers in front of Katara's face. "Hey, wake up there, Sweetness." Katara came out of her thoughts and focused her eyes. "You're the only one who's still sleeping and we all promised Iroh we'd go have breakfast with him this morning."

Katara's eyes widened. "Toph, what time is it?" She asked, rising from her bed quickly.

"What am I, a clock?" She sighed. "It's 9:30. You might want to hurry up and get dressed. Sokka's complaining that his stomach's trying to eat itself."

Katara smiled and nodded. "Alright, tell everyone I'll be down in five minutes."

After Toph had left, Katara walked quickly into her bathroom to wash her face and change her clothes. She donned one of her favorite blue dresses and slipped on her shoes in a flash. After putting her hair loops into their bun and running a comb through the loose hair, she took off for the stairs to meet her friends.

She studied them all as they headed toward the teashop. They had all changed so much since their first post-war visit here. Sokka now looked a lot more like their father, and he was proud to mention it to them all. Suki's hair had grown much longer. Aang had grown taller than her and had gained more muscle since. But the one who had changed the most physically was definitely Toph. Her hair was now much longer as well and her figure had grown a lot more womanly. But she had ignored all that and retained the same personality they all knew and loved.

Iroh greeted them all as they entered the shop and sat down. He had asked them all to meet here for breakfast and told them he had news for them. After they had eaten, Iroh pulled a scroll from his robes and smiled widely at them.

"It's a letter from Zuko," he told everyone. "He wrote that he misses everyone and, as it's nearing the summer months, he wants us to come and spend it there! Isn't that wonderful?"

"Wait, the whole summer?" Toph asked.

"Yes, of course! We can all go to Ember Island and other fun things like that."

Katara looked at Iroh. "Wait a minute? What about the students Toph and I teach? And your shop? We can't just leave."

"Of course, of course. Zuko and the Earth King helped by making arrangements for all of you. It's already been taken care of. Katara, Master Pakku decided to come out of retirement for a little while, saying you, if anyone, deserved this. And Toph, Haru said he would take over for you for a while until you get back," Iroh told them, smiling widely. "And the king will keep my teashop running. So, what do you think? A trip to the Fire Nation?"

And so it was arranged. An airship that had been built for the war would be arriving to pick them up and deliver them to the Fire Nation capitol. Everyone was to go to bed early that night because Iroh had sprang it on them that they were leaving in the morning. Aang was extremely pleased that Zuko had sent an airship that would be able to accommodate Appa as well as all of them. And so it was true what Aang had said those four years ago, they would still have adventures together. That would never change.


End file.
